Alex Guarnaschelli Shows How to Perfectly Cook Zoodles Without Making Them Soggy

If you’ve been trying to eat healthier, then you’re probably trying your best to avoid pasta (even though it’s so delicious). A fun and healthy alternative is zoodles — noodles made from spiralized zucchini — but for those who have already tried them, you know how finicky those zoodles can be when you cook them. Many times, they end up soggy and immediately lose that al dente, pasta-like mouth feel. Chef Alex Guarnaschelli has a few tips on how to keep your zoodles tasting like noodles.

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“Avoid boiling or overcooking ‘Zoodles’ (aka vegetable/zucchini noodles). I’ve overcooked some myself: they turned mushy in about 15 seconds,” Guarnaschelli wrote in the caption of a recent Instagram post. “I like to extract water quickly over HOT, high heat to get pure flavor with some vaguely ‘al dente’ texture. Ok, it’s not a giant bowl of linguine with butter but it’s pretty tasty!”

The key is to get the moisture out without adding any moisture back in, Guarnaschelli says. And to do that, you have to make sure your oil is really hot — your zoodles should sizzle when they hit the pan. Then, add a bit of salt to your zoodles to draw out excess moisture and then stir them around. You should also salt your zoodles just before cooking to do the same. The less moisture the better! Then, once in the pan, you’ll see a lot of steam being released.

When you don’t see any excess moisture in the pan, that’s when you add your sauce or other toppings. Give everything a good stir so it gets nice and hot, then you’re ready to eat! Your zoodles will taste like real pasta and there will be no sog in sight.

“I love zoodles! Just a touch of tomato sauce and some parm. So good,” one person wrote in the comments. “You make it look so easy. Do zoodles absorb flavor from sauces like pasta does? Or is it more effective to light toss in a sauce then serve immediately?” another person asked, to which Guarnaschelli responded, “Zoodles do absorb. You can toss and let rest a couple minutes in [the] sauce before serving. This is especially effective if you don’t overcook the zoodles in the first place.”

It may take some experimenting, but with Guarnaschelli’s tips in your back pocket, you’re on your way to eating more delicious zoodles every time you cook them!

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